This is the Trail Report, a weekly email newsletter from reporter Maura Fox about hikes and San Diego County’s outdoors. Sign up to get it in your inbox first.
As I scanned the 360-degree scenery from Sycuan Peak, my eyes landed on a blue structure in the distance to the north: a water tower.
But not just any water tower — the water tower in my hometown of Crest, a small unincorporated community in East County. It shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. Sycuan Peak, in Jamul, sits about 2,800 feet above sea level and offers an impressive view of the entire county.
I saw Cowles, Viejas and El Cajon mountains toward the north and Lyons and Lawson peaks toward the south. But there’s something special about spotting such a familiar landmark like a water tower — a little reminder that I’m home, or at least not too far from it.
The hike up Sycuan Peak is hard — the trail is rugged, the first half a steep ascent up about 750 feet — but it’s also short, so I wasn’t in pain for too long. The summit was also well worth the climb, and I’m a sucker for a trail register like the one at the top. It’s as fun to write a note as it is to read the sweet messages from hikers who came before.
Now, there’s quite a bit going on in the world of outdoor recreation news in San Diego this week.
In Carlsbad, pedestrians and cyclists will be getting another 1-mile segment of the Coastal Rail Trail, with construction set to start this year and finish within seven months. The additions will improve safety along the route and fill gaps in the sidewalk and bikeway sections.
Further east, at the Del Mar Mesa Preserve, where I hiked this winter, a habitat restoration project is blocking and removing unauthorized trails, which the Del Mar Times breaks down in a recent story. Striking the balance between access and land conservation has been a challenge at the preserve for years.
Finally, the city is now backing away from its idea to charge to drive into Mission Bay Park and is instead looking at other options for solving its budget crisis. That update may come as a good sign for beachgoers — especially as weather in San Diego has felt positively summery these last few weeks.
Give those stories a read, perhaps after a morning hike up Sycuan Peak.
Until we meet again,
Maura
Hike of the week: A rugged climb up Sycuan Peak is a perfect morning workout
Carlsbad to build additional 1-mile segment of Coastal Rail Trail
Del Mar Mesa Preserve conservation efforts clash with recreational use
Viejas Mountain in Alpine is culturally significant and a tough peak to climb
Scientists marvel at a Galapagos seabird that wandered 3,000 miles to California
City backs away from making San Diego drivers pay to enter Mission Bay Park as budget fix